Electroplating anode assembly

ABSTRACT

An electroplating anode assembly includes primarily a bracket on which plural anode elements are disposed, with which anode element controlling the on or off of the circuit, respectively. The electroplating anode assembly enables a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force to be formed in an electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop, so as to secure the quality of electroplating of the product using a more aggressive and reliable means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electroplating system, and more particularly to an electroplating anode assembly which provides an electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the electric power distribution, according to the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed.

b) Description of the Prior Art

It is well known that the electroplating process is a method of coating a layer of membrane on an object using the electrolytic reduction reaction. The machine used in the electroplating process depends upon the product to be electroplated, and no matter what kind of machine is used, the electroplating region is designed with a different number of electrode bars as the anodes, so as to result in the ionization of metal ions in the electroplating solution; whereas, the workpieces to be electroplated are usually designed as the cathodes.

When performing the electroplating operation, an electric voltage is applied to the anodes and the cathodes respectively, allowing the metal ions to be precipitated in the electroplating solution by the electrolytic reaction. These metal ions will be deposited at the cathode end, forming a metal coating which is plated on the surface of the workpiece to be electroplated after being reduced at the cathodes. The existing electroplating system is divided into a soluble anode electroplating system and an insoluble anode electroplating system depending upon the method for providing the electroplating metal.

In the insoluble anode electroplating system, when the electric current flows from the top of an anode to the bottom of the anode, the magnitude of electric current will decrease gradually by the resistance. In other words, at the top of the anode, more metal ions will be decomposed and released as the electric current passing through this location is larger; on the other hand, the electric current passing through the lower part of the anode is less than the electric current passing through the upper part of the anode, thus fewer metal ions will be decomposed and released, which then results in the phenomenon that the electric lines of force do not distribute uniformly (i.e., the electric current density does not distribute uniformly) in the electroplating bath.

This phenomenon will cause that the product coating is thicker at the place where the electric current density is large and the product coating is thinner at the place where the electric current density is small. Therefore, the quality of product (especially the sub-product) will be affected seriously as the surface coating on the product is not uniform. Furthermore, under some conditions, the product can be charred easily as the electric current density is too large (the electric lines of force are too dense). Accordingly, it has long been an issue to be solved by the related industry to provide an electroplating anode assembly allowing an electroplating system to have an ability of adjusting the electric power distribution depending upon the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an electroplating anode assembly which provides an electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the electric power distribution, according to the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed.

To achieve the abovementioned object, the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention includes a bracket and plural anode elements, wherein the anode elements are disposed on the bracket, with each anode element being insulative from one another. In addition, there are plural conductive elements which are connected electrically with each anode element, respectively.

By using the abovementioned structure features, with the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force is able to be formed in an electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

In the electroplating anode assembly disclosed by the present invention, plural anode elements, each of which is able to control the on or off of the circuit, are used primarily, such that a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of appearance of a first embodiment of an electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a structural schematic view of a second embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a structural schematic view of a third embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a structural schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an operation of the electroplating anode assembly, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides primarily an electroplating anode assembly which provides an electroplating system with an ability of adjusting the electric power distribution, according to the shape of the product or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed. As shown in FIG. 1, the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention comprises a bracket 10 and plural anode elements 20, wherein the anode elements 20 are disposed on the bracket 10, with which anode element 20 being insulative from one another. In addition, there are plural conductive elements 30 which are connected electrically with each anode element 20, respectively.

In principle, when practically using the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the electroplating anode assembly can be disposed in pairs in the electroplating bath, opposite to two sides of a cathode respectively. The product to be electroplated, whereas, is suspended on the cathode. Therefore, when the electric current is applied respectively to the anode end and the cathode end, metal ions will be precipitated and deposited on the cathode end in the electroplating solution in the electroplating bath due to the electrolytic reaction. When the metal ions are reduced on the cathode, a metal coating will be plated on the surface of the product.

As the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention is provided with a bracket 10 on which plural anode elements 20, with each anode element 20 being able to control the on or off of the circuit, are disposed, a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements 20. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Therefore, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

Upon implementing the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the said each conductive element 30 can be fixed on the bracket 10, and it is preferred that an end of each conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by a predetermined length, which not only facilitates the installation of the entire electroplating anode assembly, but also is easier to connect electrically the conductive elements 30 with an external power source.

Referring to FIG. 2 at a same time, the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention can further include a distributor 40 to connect with the external power source. The distributor 40 provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements 30 disposed on the anode elements 20, and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element 20.

A preferred structure configuration of the present invention is that the electroplating anode assembly further includes a distributor 40 to connect with an external power source, the distributor 40 provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements 30 disposed on the anode elements 20, is provided with plural switch circuits with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element 20, each conductive element 30 is fixed on the bracket 10, an end of each conductive element 30 is extended out of the bracket 10 by an predetermined length, and the distributor 40 is provided with plural lead wires 41 for connecting electrically with each conductive element 30, respectively.

Under all kinds of the abovementioned structure patterns that can be implemented, in the electroplating anode assembly of the present invention, the said each anode element 20 is provided with plural meshes 21. In other words, the said anode element 20 can manifest as a structure pattern of a net or basket, so that the metal ions in the electroplating bath can have a better fluidity.

In addition, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the said each anode element 20 is provided with a rectangular outline. Upon implementation, the said each anode element 20 can manifest as a circular outline as shown in FIG. 2, a square outline as shown in FIG. 3, or even an elliptic, triangular, trapezoidal or L-shaped outline as shown in FIG. 4. When necessary, the said electroplating anode assembly can be also provided on the bracket 10 with at least two anode elements 20 in a different outline. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the anode element 20 can be disposed at two sides of a workpiece 50, achieving an effect that the coating is more uniform.

Specifically, in the electroplating anode assembly disclosed by the present invention, plural anode elements, each of which is able to control the on or off of the circuit, are used primarily to form a variety of distribution of the electric lines of force in the electroplating bath through energizing one or any number of anode elements. In particular, when the shape of the product to be electroplated or the configuration that the product is suspended and disposed is changed, the corresponding distribution of the electric lines of force can be formed only through a simple way of switching an electric current supplying loop. Accordingly, the quality of electroplating can be improved by a more aggressive and reliable means to result in good benefits.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electroplating anode assembly, comprising a bracket and plural anode elements, wherein the anode elements are disposed on the bracket, with each anode element being insulative from one another; in addition, plural conductive elements being provided, with each conductive element being connected electrically with each anode element, respectively.
 2. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each conductive element is fixed on the bracket.
 3. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element.
 4. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a distributor for connecting with an external power source, wherein the distributor provides for connecting electrically with the conductive elements disposed on each anode element and is provided with plural switch circuits, with each switch circuit controlling the on or off of the circuit of each anode element; each conductive element being fixed on the bracket; the distributor being provided with plural lead wires, with each lead wire being connected electrically with each conductive element.
 5. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element is provided with plural meshes.
 6. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a rectangular outline.
 7. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a circular outline.
 8. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests an elliptic outline.
 9. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a triangular outline.
 10. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests a trapezoidal outline.
 11. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein each anode element manifests an L-shaped outline.
 12. The electroplating anode assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is provided with two anode elements in a different outline. 